Tokyo/Beijing – The Japanese government has decided to inquire into the Confucius Institute, the Chinese organisation, promoting the Chinese Communist Regime. Japanese Education Minister Koichi Hagiuda gave this information. Over the last few years, the United States and European countries have ordered the closure of the Confucius Institute, actively promoting and canvassing the Chinese Communist Regime. Against this background, Japanese lawmakers have raised questions about why these institutes are still operational in Japan.
The Chinese Communist Regime runs a systematic campaign to promote and canvass its ideologies in other countries. This aggressive campaign is run through the media and educational institutions, and Confucius Institute is considered an essential part of this campaign. The Chinese government has set up more than 500 Confucius Institutes in more than 160 countries. Along with the promotion and canvassing of the ideologies of the Chinese regime, it is also accused that these institutes are used for keeping a watch on the Chinese students and other citizens residing in those countries. Furthermore, it has been exposed that attempts of technology and intellectual property thefts have been made through these institutes in the United States. Against this background, the United States and European countries have started an aggressive campaign against the Confucius Institutes, and many countries have indicated that they could be banned.
Against this very background, the issue of the Confucius Institute is consistently raised in the Japanese Parliament since the last few days. Former Minister Haruko Arimura, while speaking at the meeting of the parliamentary committee, claimed that reports are being received that the Confucius Institutes are a threat to the security of the countries where the institutes are located. Arimura asked a question as to why no action has been taken against the Confucius Institutes in Japan on this basis.
The Japanese government has taken the issue of Confucius Institutes seriously after it appeared in the Parliament and has ordered an inquiry. It is said that currently, 14 Confucius Institutes are operational in Japan. The education department said that the Japanese government has asked various universities in Japan to submit information regarding this.
The relations between China and Japan are currently tense over the issues like Coronavirus pandemic, Chinese activities in the Senkaku Islands region and Taiwan. Analysts claim that this aggressive Japanese decision regarding the Confucius Institute will strain the relations further.
